Train Journey !!!

Travelling in train with RAC ticket, where in no confirmed berth.  I realised the pain today of not having a confirmed ticket. My friend Prashant was insisting me to come by bus , but refused as I hate bus journey and just don't get any sleep (though my wife n sons claim that I sleep) whenever we travel together, or I tell them that I did not get a sleep at all, then they all laugh at me and now started ignoring as it is a regular complaint. That's more so a fun part. Sharing a berth with a stranger whole night that too when entire boggie busy in snoring and all are in deep sleep including the person with whom I am sitting. By folding his body whatever way he could he is making different amiba like postures and with rhythmic noise he is also enjoying his sleep. 

Till now a big group of youngsters (when am writing youngsters, feeling a pain but have to accept it, ) were making all kinds of drama as explained in my earlier train journeys. It was a group of over 20 boys n girls on some excursion on holiday ..May be to Lonavla...Tried changing the berths like the way we change blocks in the games , here to there and so on, almost over 30 mins of struggle they could settle down and not so naughty boys started playing cards for some time.  Looking at them I cherished my old memories when we travelled with friends (of course not with Girls - a must mention) and that series of cards by holding a briefcase on some ones lap on rotations, writing down the syndicate scores on a smallest piece of paper. We were never so organised to carry proper sheets to write it, so it could be some waste paper where there is something already written. We used to find a small corner and write it down. Today it seems that they used cell phones to do so. Our fun used to go through the journey till arriving stations.  Post an hour or so, those boys also joined the snoring gang.

It was hardly 1.30 am, and I still wondered how do I spend another 6 hours.  Thought if writing some thing interesting but was not getting any relevant content and then I realised. Ohh I do have a cell phone let's make him a companion and started going through all apps, after cleaning the gallery etc. went to my Facebook account and digged in my old train journey write ups, posted them over some other sites. Visited old friends some personal, some professional and went down to the memory lane till the day I started my account. Liked many posts, did not put comments thinking how people will think that even at midnight 2.30 am this guy is on phone peeping in others accounts. I carry a book but no lights are there even for reading so could not get it out (fact remains that the book actually never came out for last one year due to this bloody phone), but today I can't dare to say word bloody to phone as he is driving me through the journey, keeping me alive when I cant sleep, bend or do shapes of creatures like my co passenger is doing. 

This trip was little unplanned as was not sure whether or not I will travel. Have to attend a marriage in Pune of a close family connect in Pune. 

When am writing this another group member from our regular weekend travellers group who was just on the upper berth offered me to sleep, but why does he suffer for me, said no thanks.  Even other member friend old colleague and Jija also offered to share his berth at the start of journey but same. Thank you members.

In the darkness of the midnight, I was trying to overcome the pains of unplanned journey and was enjoying. I always wonder how do people get sleep wherever, whenever at any base. घोडे बेच के सोना हमे आया ही नही ,  I envy them am always jealous about this part..In general for anything else I don't get this feeling at all. 

Waiting for dawn to be in and expecting some fellow passengers to walk towards wash rooms with half a dozen accessories like tongue cleaner, tooth brush, pest, soap, napkins, tissues so on and so on ...And slowly the whole biggie will follow..Some with strange postures, various expressions, some with excitement to be back home, some with heavy hearts if on work. The youngsters will have their own way to hit ahead...I am also curious to see a chai wala at 4.30 or 5.00 am when I need him badly who otherwise breaks the sleep , but today I am praying for him to come....I have a big day filled of activities to face...Will take a break as phone battery is getting angry  with red signs...

Sharad Puranik

Duronto Express

December 6 2019